JOB DETAILS:
The Planet Practice Group
The Planet Practice Group (PG) helps countries tackle their most complex challenges in the areas of Agriculture and Food, Climate Change, Environment, Natural Resources & Blue Economy, and Water.
Agriculture and Food (AGF) Global Practice

Agriculture is an essential pathway to meeting the World Bank Group’s (WBG) twin goals—eliminating extreme poverty by 2030 and promoting shared prosperity. Food production must increase by at least 35 percent to meet the needs of the rising global population. Thus, ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity cannot be achieved without more and better investment in agriculture, food security, and nutrition. Meeting today’s challenges on the food and agriculture agenda will require major strides in agricultural innovation and climate smart agriculture, efficiency in food production and distribution systems, promoting environmentally and socially sustainable production practices, strengthening agricultural policy and institutions, supporting agribusiness value chains, and joint private- and public- sector action. The Agriculture and Food Global Practice (GP) of the WBG, working closely with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), supports a Global Vision for Food and Agriculture with agriculture able to feed every person, every day, in every country with a safe, nutritious and affordable diet, and where jobs and income gains in the food system are sufficient to meet poverty reduction targets.

To help the achievement of the twin goals, the strategic focus of the Agriculture and Food GP, as reflected in the Agriculture Action Plan, is to help client countries on the issues mentioned above. Our current work program (150+ operations) consists of engagement in policy dialogue, investment, and forging partnerships across the globe seeking to (i) raise agricultural productivity, (ii) link farmers to markets and strengthen value chains, (iii) support rural non-farm income, (iv) reduce risk, vulnerability, and gender inequality, and (v) enhance environmental services and sustainability.

AGF and Country Context
In Uganda, the Agriculture Sector accounts for approximately 24 percent of Uganda’s GDP, 35 percent of its export earnings, and 68 percent of the labor force. The majority of people engaged in farming are smallholder farmers that are primarily dependent on rain fed agriculture. Poverty drivers in the sector are largely driven by subsistence agriculture and over-reliance on traditional farming practices, limited uptake of improved technologies and poor infrastructure for value addition and marketing, among others. The Government aims to transform the agriculture sector through its agro-industrialization agenda, whose goal is to increase commercialization and competitiveness of agriculture production and agro-processing. The focus of the Bank’s current and future work is on Climate Smart Agriculture, enhancing irrigation and mechanization to support commercialization and support food and nutrition security, enhancing digital and precision agriculture, jobs (agriculture skilling), data generation, agriculture financing and insurance, private sector engagement and policy dialogue.
This is a locally recruited position, not an internationally recruited position. As a result the conditions of employment will be in line with the employment market in the country where the position is located.

Duties and accountabilities:
The primary responsibility of the Agriculture Specialist/Economist will be to provide technical and strategic support for the development and implementation of the Agriculture GP’s work program in Uganda. The Agriculture Specialist/Economist will work closely with the unit’s coordinator of the AGF portfolio in Uganda with the delivery of the work program, assurance of quality, interaction with internal and external clients, including the government, private sector, civil society and development partners.
In particular, the Agriculture Specialist will:
• Lead activities as core team member, both in agriculture and multi-sectoral operations, assuring quality in all stages of the project cycle;
• Serve as an advisor to colleagues who are themselves Task Team Leaders, providing them with advice and support;

• Work with the Sector Leader and staff of the Agriculture and Food GP and other GPs to identify opportunities for addressing agricultural issues in Uganda as part of the World Bank’s Country Partnership Framework, country policy dialogue, sector investment operations, budget support operations, and other multi-sectoral projects;

• Identify innovative opportunities or ways to address existing needs in the agricultural and food sector, including bringing in experience from other countries;
• Remain current with relevant major pieces of analytical work in the profession. Lead or participate in strategic analytical work in Uganda and/or on a sub-regional level, and work with teams engaged in analytical work relevant to the Agriculture and Food GP’s work program in Uganda;

• Represent the World Bank in fora involving the community of development partners. Provide support, either explicit or implicit, to the work of the development partners in the sector;

• As necessary, represent the World Bank and the Agriculture and Food GP’s management at events with sectoral focus that take place in country and in the region;
• Develop strong client relations and partnerships, including with the International Finance Corporation, on operational matters and policy dialogue;
• Work with other Global Practices in representing Uganda specific issues in regional and corporate strategies;

• Maintain a high level and quality of engagement and dialogue with key stakeholders, including government, civil society, private sector and research/academic community on strategic and policy issues concerning agriculture and food security in Uganda.

Selection Criteria
• Masters, MBA or PhD in Agricultural Economics, Economics, Finance, Agricultural Sciences, or in a relevant discipline;
• At least five years of experience on agricultural development issues;

• Strong technical and analytical skills in the range of issues of relevance to the agriculture and food sector;
• Solid understanding of Uganda’s governmental institutions and policies;
• Excellent interpersonal, problem-solving and team skills with ability to find balanced, pragmatic and implementable solutions also in a multi-disciplinary context;
• High level of energy, ability to work under pressure, and willingness to travel;

• Excellent communication skills in English, including the ability to present complex issues to World Bank management and senior Government representatives, as well as to non-specialist audiences;
• Previous exposure to World Bank operations would be a plus;
• Willingness to travel extensively in country, and in the Africa region, is vital, including to remote rural areas.